The Strength of Friendship
by desertredwolf
Summary: It's the Year 120 of the Fourth Age, just after the death of King Elessar. Legolas and Gimli are the last members of the Fellowship remaining in Middle-Earth. Legolas finished building a ship and is ready to leave for the Undying Lands ... and Gimli might be ready to leave as well. ["Book-verse," with a dash of "movie-verse." No slash...at least, none intended.] COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

**Part 1**

 **At the End of All Things**

Small waves rolled upon the shore of the River Anduin, gently rocking the first of the last ships built to leave Middle-Earth. Legolas stood silently on the shore, a simple pack slung across his back along with his quiver and bow. He breathed in the air, listening to the song of the water.

Here in Ithilien, at the edge of Gondor, the remaining elves in Middle-Earth created a settlement. It was a peaceful life — gentle, even, after the horrors most faced during the War of the Ring. Even with a quiet life, however, there was still plenty of work to be done. Some elves, under Legolas' command, had traveled to distant regions of the land, scourging it of any remaining trace of Sauron. With the power of the Three Rings gone it was hard work, but in the end they claimed victory.

The dwarves began to also reclaim the earth as well; they worked hard to rebuild the cities of Middle-Earth. Minas Tirith in Gondor was the first city rebuilt — which had nothing to do with Gimli's friendship with the new king, of course. The new Lord of the Glittering Caves had found mithril deep in the caverns behind Helm's Deep and offered it as a way to rebuild the gates of the White City. To say that gift was priceless would diminish its value — and would have been an incredibly rude understatement.

Yes, life began to grow back; dark forests became green and alive again, and the scars of war began to fade. Yet, it was never the same.

Magic was fading from Middle-Earth.

"I hope you weren't planning on leaving without saying good-bye, laddie."  
Legolas turned around. He must have been deeply lost in thought since he didn't hear the slow, shuffling footsteps of Gimli walking up behind him. The river song grew louder in the background.

"How could I?" Legolas grinned, pushing aside the anxiety that had been slowly building up all morning, as his old friend stood beside him. "I can't seem to get rid of you, no matter what I do … especially when there is a ship involved!"

"If you're talking about that trip to Fangorn," Gimli huffed, "we both agreed that we would travel together!"

"I don't think that means we _both_ had to drown —"

"I had nothing to do with the boat capsizing on the way! There were orcs on the shoreline!"

Gimli pulled himself up a little straighter using his walking axe and stared at Legolas, who simply grinned and looked back out on the water.

"Yes," Legolas reminisced, "as you tried walking on water to reach the orcs, you so bravely pushed me forward — "

"I _accidently_ bumped you — "

"— _and_ _then_ decided to grab on to me so you wouldn't drown —"

"— drown? _Drown?!_ A dwarf would _never_ —"

" — _and_ on top of _all_ of that," Legolas stated with mock indignation, "I caught a cold."

Gimli turned and stared out at water, fighting a smile. "A cold," he slowly shook his head, "A _cold_. And here I thought elves were above getting colds."

As he looked over at his friend, he noticed the smile on Legolas' face didn't reach his eyes. His actions and teasing told one story, but the sorrow in his eyes told another. Gimli slowly began to wander down the shoreline with Legolas, toward the dock where the ship was tied off.

"You know, laddie. It's okay that you're leaving. We'll be ok," Gimli scanned Legolas' face, which was now unreadable. "I understand how you must be feeling — "

"Feeling?! _Feeling?_ " Legolas abruptly stopped at the edge of the dock and could barely contain his unease and frustration, which for days now had been boiling just beneath the surface. "Friend Gimli, I am _torn!_ This world has been my home and I have lived _lifetimes_ here. It is fading and my heart breaks for the world we lost and will never see again. Soon there will be no place for magic or elves in Middle-Earth. The forests will continue to grow back, but that spark of life — of knowing that the very air was alive — is gone. _Nothing_ is the same."

"But — "

"And I will endure and watch _helplessly_ ," Legolas spat out, cutting Gimli off with a wave of his hand, "as everything I know and love eventually withers away and dies."

"I wouldn't call myself 'withering away' per say. More like 'getting rid of the unimportant stuff' …"

Legolas looked intently at Gimli and noticed for the first time how tired and — it pained Legolas to think it — _old_ his friend actually was. The walking axe he used was more of a staff than weapon, and had been for some time now. Gimli looked back at him, his eyes reflecting his age more than he would ever be willing to admit.

" _Mellon_ ," Legolas gently placed his hand on his friend's shoulder, "What is worse than all of that is that I must go. My heart has been called away for a long time now and I have lingered far longer than I should have. I know you are old; far older than many of your kindred become. But you are also my last and truest friend — and I desperately need a friend, or I don't think I will have the courage to do what needs to be done. Will you come with me to the Undying Lands?"

"Laddie," the waves from the Anduin lapped carefree on the shore as Gimli clasped his hand on Legolas' forearm, "Did you honestly think you would be going alone?"

Ages would pass in the Undying Lands before Legolas could fully appreciate the magnitude of this moment. A friendship and fellowship that had been forged in the fires of war and desecration had endured long after victory, and in facing the end of the world (as they knew it) it only strengthened. A gift from the Valar that Legolas could only begin to truly cherish in this moment.

Legolas, subdued, walked the length of the dock, up the gangway, and onto the ship. He allowed Gimli to sit down and rest before beginning to untie the ropes that anchored them to the life they were now letting go of.

"Elvish" Translations

 _ **Mellon**_ **:** Friend

 _ **Aa' lasser en lle coia orn n' omenta gurtha:**_ May the leaves of your life tree never turn brown.

 _ **Aa' i'sul nora lanne'lle:**_ May the wind fill your sails.

 _ **Aa' menle nauva calen ar' ta hwesta e' ale'quenle:**_ May thy paths be green and the breeze on thy back.

 _ **Lissenen ar' maska'lalaith tenna' lye omentuva**_ _ **:**_ Sweet water and light laughter till next we meet.

 _ **Namaarie:**_ Farewell.


	2. Chapter 2

**Part Two**

 **Understanding**

Legolas pushed off the dock and the sails immediately caught a breeze, as if knowing where they were heading and being eager to get there. "This trip is about facing some fears for me, you know," he remarked, sitting down by the bow of the ship.

"I didn't think you left your father on _that_ bad of terms!" Gimli joked.

Legolas laughed. The air was light and jovial, and it was easier to be happy and cheerful. They had barely started on their last adventure together, but the burdens of world had already started slipping off their shoulders.

"No," Legolas said, "Don't you remember Galadriel's warnings Gandalf gave us when we met him in Fangorn?"

"How could I forget?" Gimli murmured.

"I always thought being unable to feel at home in a place I belonged would be the worst torture imagined. But now I know that the worst torture is ignoring the truth," Legolas stared down at his hands. "The truth that I hadn't been at home for decades and, deep in my heart, I heard the sea calling me … home."

The gust of wind caught the sails, pushing them faster out toward the mouth of the river. Waves slapped up against the side of the ship and Legolas listened again to the song, which was getting louder the closer they got to the open sea:

 _Aa' lasser en lle coia orn n' omenta gurtha._

 _Aa' i'sul nora lanne'lle._

 _Aa' menle nauva calen ar' ta hwesta e' ale'quenle._

 _Lissenen ar' maska'lalaith tenna' lye omentuva_ _._

As Legolas embraced the song, Gimli pondered what he had left behind. He pulled out his pack from underneath some ropes where he hid it the night before (the stubbornness of dwarves…) and ate a piece of lembas bread. The earth and stone he would miss, especially the Glittering Caves. _But_ , he thought, _I would miss Legolas more_. Yes, his heart was tied to the earth as all dwarves were, but the loneliness of being the last one of the Fellowship, left behind in a swiftly changing world, and his closest friend out having adventures without him … well, he wouldn't stand for it. _And besides, I would like to see the Lady Galadriel. One last time._

"So, laddie, any elvish lasses waiting to see your pretty face in the Undying Lands?" Gimli asked, the thought popping up in his mind.

"Maybe … just one," Legolas suddenly grew wistful.

 _Well that's new,_ Gimli thought. He had never seen his friend look so forlorn. He cleared his throat, "So … when did she leave? _Why_ did she leave?" As Legolas still looked lost in memories of ages past, he attempted to tease him — which didn't go over as well as Gimli thought it would. "Legolas, what did you _do_?"

"I didn't do anything," Legolas' eyes again grew sorrowful, as he stared out on the water.

Stillness settled over the boat while a light breeze continued to fill the sails. Gimli waited until Legolas began to speak again.

"She was the only one I ever loved and no matter who she chose or chooses, I will always cherish her and hold her close to my heart," Legolas looked at Gimli, "When things became tough or impossible, it was something she said to me once that always got me through the dark times, without fail: _"When did we let evil become stronger than us?"_ "

Legolas slowly shook his head; "She left for the Undying Lands soon after the Battle of Five Armies — the one your father fought in at the Lonely Mountain. And she left … she left because if she had stayed, she would have died of a broken heart."

Gimli slowly walked over and sat awkwardly down next to him. The supplies and, let's face it, Gimli's old joints made it cumbersome to move, but what really caused the awkwardness was the fact that — despite long travels and decades of friendship — it was still odd to have incredibly deep conversations with his closest friend. "So, what happened?" Gimli gruffly asked.

"It's a long story," Legolas said.

"I think it's going to be a long boat ride."

"Well … you could say that the story started when thirteen dwarves arrived in Mirkwood, but, in truth, it began decades before that …"

As Legolas began his story, the rising sun rose over the horizon signaling a new day and adventure. And with that, came a promise of something better — something greater — to hope for and believe in. A place in which hurts are healed and life could fully be lived.

 _Namaarie._

"Elvish" Translations

 _ **Mellon**_ **:** Friend

 _ **Aa' lasser en lle coia orn n' omenta gurtha:**_ May the leaves of your life tree never turn brown.

 _ **Aa' i'sul nora lanne'lle:**_ May the wind fill your sails.

 _ **Aa' menle nauva calen ar' ta hwesta e' ale'quenle:**_ May thy paths be green and the breeze on thy back.

 _ **Lissenen ar' maska'lalaith tenna' lye omentuva**_ _ **:**_ Sweet water and light laughter till next we meet.

 _ **Namaarie:**_ Farewell.


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 3**

 **Not Quite the End**

 _Well, maybe not_ _ **Namaarie**_ _… at least not yet, since nothing ever truly ends._

 _The truth is: The Undying Lands are not Heaven. The few mortals that have ever walked the shores and shaded forest paths of the Undying Lands have claimed they were in Heaven. Deep-rooted wounds and pain were healed, that would have otherwise only been made worse in Middle-Earth; however, this is the same for both mortals and immortals. The Undying Lands also do not cause people to live forever. In reality, it allows those that are immortal to live in a world untouched by the ravages of time. To those blessed (or cursed) with living forever, it is peaceful and a perfect paradise. And to those cursed (or blessed) with dying, their final days seem to stretch on giving the allusion of more time than they actually have. Some despise allusions, claiming they are lies, but this lie offered every mortal (to be allowed to the Undying Lands) peace and fulfillment before they died._

 _To get to the Undying lands is another story entirely. The Straight Road leads there, but it is not easy to find (obviously). There is a real direction to take, but only part of it is physical and tangible._

Legolas finished his story and the whole world jolted. It was as if every fiber of the known universe vibrated and shifted, sliding sideways. Gimli stumbled forward and looked out over the bow of the boat, searching for what they had hit but instinctively knowing at the same time nothing was actually there.

Suddenly, the whole world shone with light.

Just as the whole world seemed to have shifted moments earlier, every molecule now seemed to radiate a soft light. Light appeared to literally dance off the surface of the water. But what really captured both of their attention was the mass of land that seemed to appear out of nowhere in front of them. Trees blanketed most of the land, and on later investigation would reveal to be permanently suspended at the height of spring. Along the shoreline stood a lone pier and just a little ways down the shoreline, a mouth of a wide river.

Legolas and Gimli both took a moment to take it all in. The vista seemed to stretch on forever up toward the distant horizon. Mountains, far of in the distance, broke the tops of the trees. Some were possibly covered with snow. It was too far off to be certain, but since they seemed to reach unheard of heights it was a possibility.

As elves began to slowly show up on the pier, a few of them eagerly waving, Legolas turned to Gimli and grinned. "Thank you for coming with me, _Mellon_."

"Yeah, yeah," Gimli said, eyes fixed on the horizon and brimming with eagerness, "Ready for the next adventure?"

"Elvish" Translations

 _ **Mellon**_ **:** Friend

 _ **Aa' lasser en lle coia orn n' omenta gurtha:**_ May the leaves of your life tree never turn brown.

 _ **Aa' i'sul nora lanne'lle:**_ May the wind fill your sails.

 _ **Aa' menle nauva calen ar' ta hwesta e' ale'quenle:**_ May thy paths be green and the breeze on thy back.

 _ **Lissenen ar' maska'lalaith tenna' lye omentuva**_ _ **:**_ Sweet water and light laughter till next we meet.

 _ **Namaarie:**_ Farewell.


End file.
